Primary Care Appointments More Likely With Private Insurance Versus Medicaid, Uninsured

Individuals posing as patients (mystery shoppers) with private insurance were more likely to gain a new-patient appointment with a primary care physician than individuals that posed as patients covered by either Medicaid, or as the uninsured. Across 10 states including Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Texas, 84.7% of the mystery shoppers who said they had private insurance received an appointment, and 57.9% of callers claiming to have Medicaid coverage received an appointment.

Appointment rates were 78.8% for uninsured patients offering full cash payment, and 15.4% for uninsured patients if . . .